FERDINAND the Second , by the grace of God elected Emperour of the Romans , euer Augustus , King of Germany , Hungary , Bohemia , Dalmatia , Croatia , and Sclauonia &c. Archduke of Austria , Duke of Burgundy , Styria , Carinthia , Carniola , and Wittem berge &c. Earle of Tirolle &c. To all Soueraigne Kinges , our Breethren , & most deare Cosens , wisheth increase of Honour , mutuall Loue and happy Prosperity . As also to all and singular Princes , as well Ecclesiasticall , as Temporall , Electors , Archbishops , Bishops , Earles , Barons , Knights , Gentlemen , Captains , Lieutenants , Standardbearers , Powers , Burgemaisters , Consuls : and to all the Magistrats of all , and euery of our Countryes , Cittyes , Houlds and Communityes ; withall the rest of the faythfull and most deare subiectes of all , and euery of our Dominions , Health , our Imperiall Fauour , and increase of al Felicity &c.

Although we doubt not , but that it is notorious and manifest vnto all persons , as well within , as without the bounds and limits of our Sacred Roman Empyre , what miserable slaughter , calamity , and desolation hath inuironed our kingdome of Bohemia , a noble and most renowned part belonging to the body of our Imperiall Crowne , and chiefe amongst our secular Electorships , togeather with our hereditary Prouinces that border and adioyne vnto it ; and what an inundation of misery , the vntimely and deplorable necessity of this new raysed war hath brought vpon our harmlesse subiects , togeather with the vniuersall ruine of our dearest Country : yet haue we thought it not vnworthy our labour to lay downe the origen , successe , and causes of this mournefull Tragedy ; chiefly to the end that the sinister and maleuolent calumniations , and false pretences of fraudulent , and lying tongues being detected , and simple truth stript naked from the ragges of all imposture & false suspition , wherwith she hath maliciously beene cloathed , may appeare to all men more conspicuous and manifest .

The first source and fountaine therefore of this deplorable rebellion , or at least the sad tyme when it first brake forth to publike , and like a swelling riuer that hath ouerflowne the bankes , by which it was restrayned , began to powre it selfe with wast and desolation to our miserable Countrey , was in the raigne of our dread Lord , deare Vncle , & most respected Father MATTHIAS , of happy memory , late Roman Emperour , King of Hungary and Bohemia &c. at what tyme some of our Bohemian States , vnder pretence of I know not what agrieuances , wherein they alleadged the priuiledges of Religion , and that which is called the Regal , or Maiestall Charter , to be infringed and violated ; did in most headdy and tumultuous manner , breake into our Castle and Royall Chancery , layd violent handes vpon men of prime quality , being the Magistrates , Lieutenants , and chiefe Deputyes of absent Caesar , their vndoubted Lord and gracious Soueraigne ; and with a barbarous , cruell , and which to all posterity will be esteemed a most temerarious and infamous example , without examining their cause , or hearing their iust defence , did in a fit of brainsicke fury throw them downe headlong from the tops of highest windowes ; and then adding to Rashnesse Obstinacy , that they might desperatly defend what they had wickedly begun , they brake into open armes , and without al respect vnto their absent Soueraigne , deposed from their authority and place , not only the foresayd Officers , now lying breathlesse & halfe dead vpon the hurt and perill of their falls ; but all others also throughout the Territoryes of that Kingdome and Dominion . And not content heerewith iniuriously inuaded the Royalties of that Crowne , which from all memorie of men , had formerly beene accounted sacred and inuiolable , changed all the auncient forme and frame of gouernment into a new , wherof they would needs create and stile themselues , forsooth , Directours ; exceeding so haynously both in the manner and measure the limits of moderate defending their Religion ( if by the tenour of the aforesayd Regall Charter , they haue any right at all to such an Action , when no cause of Religion with any colour of probability can be proued to be questioned ) that euen by these audacious facts of theirs it is apparent vnto all that are not willfully hood winked with partiality , that these sinnefull , precipitious , & treacherous attempts of disloyall subiects against the Magistrates of their Leige Lord , cannot , nor ought not to be mentioned , or styled by any other title thē by the proper names of Seditious , Rebellious , and Execrable Treasons .

It is not now our purpose to examine with what foundation or ground of reason those agrieuances can be auouched and maintained , that are comprized , diuulged & published in the Bohemian Apologies , extant vnder the name of one part of the States of that Kingdome ( though they would seeme to be vnder the names of both , ) or how far the pretended offences of priuate persons should redound vnto the preiudice and iniury of supreme publike Magistrats ; neither is it our part to extenuate or maintayn those errors ( if perhaps any were committed ) before we tooke into our hands the raynes of Royall Gouerment ; for that ( if any such were ) they happened wholy without all fault of ours , and therfore the blame thereof ought not in equity and iustice to be deriued and communicated to vs. But we are hopefully perswaded that euery faithfull Cittizen that is inclinable to peace , and an indifferent friend to equity and iustice , when he shall impartially consider the proceedings hitherto continued and held on ; and not being swayed with preiudice & passion shall indifferently peruse the Treatises and Informations which haue byn heertofore printed about this businesse ; wil euidently perceaue that to these pretended agrieuances ( whatsoeuer in themselues they might be ) a more calme and seasonable , or at the least a lesse turbulent and seditious remedy should haue byn applied and thought vpon . Neither was it therefore conuenient for them , like rabide Children , to pull vpon themselues the ruine of their country , and as it were to constraine the lawfull Magistrate to suppresse iniury with violence , & draw that sword which God hath put into his hands , to the iust reuenge and punishment of rebellious malefactors .

For truly if these controuersies which arose vpon the priuiledge of free exercise of their religion , could not haue byn decided & extinguished by those very meanes , which their forementioned Charter doth peculiarly prescribe , that is , by some indifferent Arbiters , frankly deputed by the States of either Religion ; & that also were true which euery where they publish , and with earnest endeauours striue to possesse the world with the opinion of , to wit , that they were vtterly debarred from all accesse vnto the presence of their Royall Soueraigne ; yet who is there that can doubt , that in a case of such distresse and difficulty , the Princes Electours of the sacred Roman Empire , mooued with pittifull compassion of their lamentable distresses , would either of their owne accord haue interposed effectually their intercession ; or inuited therto by the intreaties and complaints of the oppressed party , would for their accustomed sollicitude and wonted prouidence , haue diligently preuented such extremes , as might precipitate the one side into headlong despaire , or driue the other to enforced necessity .

But after these wicked Rebelles had neglected al sweet meanes of remedy , and it had pleased the new appointed Directours , and their Complices to combine themselues in a most bloudy conspiracy , that by audacious cruelty they might surprize the hartes of our beloued subiects , and wholy possesse them with fearfull thoughts of terror and amazement , thinking thereby to intangle others in the participation of their sinfull treachery ; they placed the hope of their impunity in armes , & sought to bolster their wicked designes , vnder the colour & cloake of the name & authority of our States . Wherfore the Imperial Maiesty of Caesar our deare deceased Lord , could do no lesse in duty then prouide , although it were with armed hand , that which he thought expedient for the defence & maintenance of his Royall Authority and Kingly iurisdiction ; especially finding in these obstinate delinquents no place for obedience and Fatherly admonition , no hope of repentance , no inclination to lend a willing eare to better counsells ; but the contagion , like to a festering sore and noisome canker , euery day dispersing it self to the greater infection and detriment of the Weale publicke , to diffuse also its venomous contagion , to the destruction of the neighbouring Prouinces : but yet before he suffered the forces he had leuied to breake forth to open violence , in iust commiseration of his subiects heauy calamities , he did omit no carefull diligence by sweet meanes to appease the stormes of this inraged tempest . He committed therefore the composing thereof equally vnto the care & prudent moderation of the prime Electours of this sacred Empire , omitting no diligence that might conduce vnto the speedy and effectual pacifying of exasperated mindes , & laying downe of armes ; although this latter desire of his found many delaies and vnexpected obstacles . But how coldly & backwardly his Bohemian subiects did answere to his forward propension , and with what impertinent conditions they laboured to disturbe and trauerse his holy purposes , their articles & informations yet extant in print do beare aboundant record .

In the meane tyme Caesar deceasing , and the Kingdom of Bohemia , with the vnited Prouinces , by vertue of our Royall Coronation , and the Homage , and Fealty in former tyme solemnly sworne to vs by the states of that Countrey , being by lawfull and full right now perfectly deduolued to our Gouernment ; we bended all our carefull thoughts and serious studyes , to deuise what meanes might be inuented , now in the happy entrance of our raigne and soueraignty , to restore our Kingdom , miserably rent & torne with eighteene moneths continual ciuil warre , vnto the splendour of its ancient tranquility ; to which purpose we first vndertooke to send vnto the hands of the supreme Burgemaister , before the space of one month should be expired , the Confirmation of all the Priuiledges of that Kingdom , togeather with the Reuersalls , of which they seemed so desirous ; and withall assured them , that peace and publike tranquility should be restored , iustice administred , dissentions buried , and effectuall remedies aduised on , in all due and decent manner to redresse their agrieuances .

And although our willfull subiects would vouchsafe no answere to this our beneuolent and Roiall offer ; yet notwithstanding did we not forbeare no solemne and authentique manner to dispatch the Charter of our Confirmation , according to the tenour of that which they had formerly obtained of our predecessour Matthias , their King and Emperour of happy memory , carefully contriuing and expressing it in iust as many words , clauses , and sentences , as they themselues had heeretofore conceaued and accepted it . And for the more security , we sent by a messenger of our own Chamber , a second Exemplification thereof to Prage , to be deliuered into the hands of the supreme Burgemaister , and by our gratious and peculiar letters signified so much to all our Barons , Knights , Gentlemen and Cittizens that were there assembled ; not being able to perswade our selues , but that by this happy occasion of offered peace , they 〈…〉 ●●bellious armes , would by performance of their dutifull obedience to their annointed , crowned , and lawful Soueraigne , giue vnto the world some noble testimomy of the desire they had to reestablish publique peace , and perfect tranquility .

But the rufull euent doth pregnantly declare how much they haue deceaued our hopes and expectation . For disesteeming our Royal Charter and Grant of Confirmation of all their former priuiledges ; rashly reiecting the truce , and supension of armes which of our parts , from that tyme we caused to be proclaimed and published ; regardlesly neglecting without any answere , our gratious Letters wherin they were mildly and louingely required to send some Agents to conferre with vs about the causes of their discontentes , making them free offer of the conduct & safeguard of our Royal and inuiolable Word ; raising a new and violent commotion in all the body of our Kingdom ; leuying new souldiers ; soliciting our States of Morauia to participate with them in their rebellion , and treacherous reuolt ; wickedly ioyning vnto their troupes all our powers both of horse and foot belonging to that Marquisate ; surprizing suddenly our Citty of Bruna ; perfidiously arresting , and laying their rebellious hands vpon the Captaine and chiefe officers thereof ; violently subduing Olmus the Metropolis and chiefe Citty in that Princedome ; deposing the Magistrats ; abolishing the free exercise of sacred religion which in that Metropolitan Church had heertofore bin practized from tyme out of mind ; expelling all Ecclesiasticall Persons out of their dominions ; spoiling , consiscating , and rauishing their goods ; soliciting religious persons of both sexes most sacrilegiously to violate the sacred bondes of their holy vowes ; and finally proscribing , and vnmercifully banishing all such of our noble subiects , as out of their faithfull loyalty to God & vs , refused to approue and countenance their barbarous and wicked treacheries ; they gaue the world apparant testimony how far they were from peaceful cogitations .

Neither did their audacious impiety containe it selfe heere , but with impetuous violence powred forth the streames of mischiefe to our Arch-Duchy of Austria , where they passed so farre in impudency , that they durst in hostile manner besiege our frontier Towne of Laa ; and passing ouer the Riuer Dannubius , made their approach vnto our Royall Seate and chiefe Citty of Vienna , where discharging their rebellious shot against our Castle , they feared not to leaue to later posterity a hatefull memory of their abhorred Treachery ; of which their wicked counsels & most mischieuous attempts what end they might propose vnto themselues , we leaue to others to determine of ; and will only adde , that to the complement of this their heap of treasons , when according to custom , and the prescription of the Charter , which they call Bulla Aurea , we were in person cyted to appeare at Frankford in that most sacred and honourable assembly of the Imperial Electors , as being one of that number , and thereby acknowledged the lawfull and vndoubted King of Bohemia , and Septemuir ( or chief vmpyre ) of the Empire ; they feared not in impudent and shamelesse manner to moue new doubts and vnheard of questions of State ; wickedly endeauouring ( as much as in them lay ) by their seditious libells , to disanull and abrogate the force and prerogatiue of our suffrage and session ; seeking , cleane contrary both to their duty and our will , to inuolue our naturall and hereditary Subiects in the execrable plots of their hatefull conspiracy : and at that very tyme when the benigne and vniforme consent of our Princes Electours , had iointly raysed vs vnto the highest top of Imperiall Soueraingty , they by a nefarious and vnheard of example of matchlesse perfidiousnes ( at whose memory , succeeding posterity will blush with horrour and confusion ; ) contemning all sacred bondes of their religious Oathes , with earnest endeauours sought to frustrate and disauow our Royall Election ( as they vainly termed it ; ) and contrary to the expresse priuiledges of our Kingdome , & inuiolable lawes of our sacred Roman Empire , with their vttermost ( although they proued vneffectuall and vaine ) labours , in fact sought to transferre our Royall Diademe vnto another race and family .

I need not relate with what secret mines of treacheryes , and wicked counsells they laboured to peruert and trouble our Kingdome of Hungary , inducing with their lawlesse trumpets of sedition , our natiue subiects to participate with them in a rebellious and ciuill war ; with seuerall sleights inciting Bethlehem Gabor ( à sworne Vassall to the Turke ) to inuade Cassouia , and conioyning their forces with his , passing againe ouer Danubius by a naual bridge at Presburge , brake into Austria , wasting & forraging the region round about with slaughter , fire , and sword , euen to the walls of our princely Citty of Vienna ; exposing to extreme perill and hazard that sacred Bulwarke and Fortresse of the Roman Empire , whose indemnity , and safe preseruation hath by the Renowned German Nation heroically been maintained with the expense and profusion of much Christian bloud . And finally to comprise all in a word , looke what wast , calamity , and mischiefe a sworne enemy can bring vpon another , all that they most iniuriously and barbarously haue attempted against their lawfull , acknowledged , and receaued Soueraigne , and his subordinate appointed Magistrats , neuer prouoked by the least indignity , or iniury of their parts offered them .

And not being able to extenuate or decline the guilt of these abhominable and enormous crimes , without addition of new wrongs and iniuryes vnto their former rebellions and treacheryes ; these faithlesse rebells , and their subtile abherents forged a masse of truthlesse calumniations , by which they might seeme , with others like themselues in disloialty , to blanche and iustify their graceles & outragious proceedings ; friuolously carping at our Royal Acceptation , Proclamation , & Coronation ; pretending ( which yet is horrible to mention ) we had vniustly violated our Royall Reuersals , and had condescended to such aggrements and confederacies , as might be deemed pernicious , and preiudiciall to our State and Kingdome . Which slanderous and vntrue defamations , with others of like tenour , wanting all ground of probability , in this tyme and place will need no larger confutation .

These desperate and inconsiderate beginnings , haue driuen their authours to such height of shamelesse impudency , that they make no conscience to infringe and violate the very fundamental lawes of their natiue Countrey , making no scruple at once to frustrate the foresayd Bulla Aurea of Charles the fourth , the sacred Decree & Sanction of King Wladislaus , the Reuersalls of the Emperor FERDINAND , the publique Constitutions and Articles confirmed , and agreed on in the yeare 1547. by the religious and solemne oath of all the Nobility and state of our Kingdome ; hauing withall infringed the ancient custome religiously obserued by al our predecessours , for the tearme of eight whole ages together ; seeing that from the raigne of our first Duke Primislaus , in all this decourse of tyme , no one hath been admitted to the diademe of this kingdome ( except Rudolphus , who vnder pretext of hereditary couenants , was raysed to the Scepter , and George Podiebratius ) to whom the lineall descent of their Fathers or Mothers bloud , or the happy coniunction and marriage of the daughters of some precedent Kinges , did not bequeath the Crowne and Scepter . And now at last after the deuolution of 270. years they go aboue with captious questions , & doubtfull cauills to euacuate & delude the Charter , called Bulla Carolina , togeather with the declaration of the priuiledges therinto inserted by the Emperour Frederick the second , iniuriously taxing the noblest and most renowned Emperour , whome for his excellent merits of this Kingdome , our Venerable Predecessours , ( much more gratefull then their vngratious ofspringe ) did adorne & reuerence with the honorable title of their FATHER & FOVNDER ; insinuating in their seditious pamphlets , that this good Emperor in his foresayd declaration did not proceed with candour and good conscience , but neglecting the tenour of the foresayd Bulla Aurea had more regard to the raysing and establishing of his owne issue and posterity , then of the priuiledges of their Kingdome ; and for that purpose had aduisedly depraued , corrupted , and impeached the true intent and purport of the same : When not withstanding it is euident , that the foresayd Declaration , being granted with the knowledge and consent of all the Electors of the sacred Roman Empire , and accepted by all the Nobility & States of the Country , was not only precedent to the goulden Charter , acted and Concluded at Norinberge , but amongst other things , that also was expresly reserued and confirmed .

Which being so , we could by no meanes be induced to beleeue that any sensible & prudent man could be found out , who had regard of equity and conscience ( and much lesse a Prince sprung from the noble German bloud , who by the gracious fauour of God , and great benefite of the sacred Roman Empire had subiects committed to his Gouernment , to whose iniurious controle he would think it vnfit he should be brought to base subiection ) that would vndertake to countenance , cherish , and patronize the insolent rebellion of disloyall subiects , and least of all could we conceaue that any sensed iudgment would be so precipitous & inconsiderate , that without further knowledg of our cause , or more mature examination of the priuiledges of our auncient Imperiall Family ; would vnder pretence of a seditious and violent election ( frustrate and voide , euen by the letter of the law it self ) presume to thrust him selfe into the managing of our publique affayres and Gouernment ; but euen in this desperate case an vnhappy euent , sutable to the designes of our rebellious subiects , hath not byn wanting : for such an one hath byn found , that contrary to the expectation of almost all the whole Christian world , neglecting the wholsome counsells of the rest of our Princes Electors , hath dared to impale his ambitious Head , within the circle of our Royall Crowne ; by which it is manifest , that this was the scope and finall end , to which these new Directours from the beginning of their subtile counsels and wicked actions , did chiefly ayme and leuell at .

But I will heere speake nothing of the disability of their persons , that without al colourable title , durst assume vnto themselues the right of suffrages , & set our Royal Crown vpon the head of a stranger , nothing of the cleare nullity of this their whole new no Election : only I cannot sufficiently admire , that another Prince , neuer prouoked by vs with the least shaddow of iniury , but rather obliged and bound vnto vs by many respectfull offices of Princelike Beneuolence , should dare to intrude himselfe into the gouernment of our hereditary Kingdome . For what colour could be inuented for him to exact , or accept of a new oath of Homage , and Fealty of our subiects , without preuious manifestation of their right , either to depose vs or to elect another ? Yea , and without all relaxation of their former solemne & religious oaths , by whose sacred bands they yet stand and remaine inuiolably bound to vs : and contrary vnto our lawes and wholsome Constitutions ; contrary vnto the publique peace and tranquility of the Empire ; contrary vnto all lawes , both humane and diuine , with a fatall and pernicious example , against al Soueraigne Princes ( which euermore the very Barbarous Turkes and Tartars haue abhorred and detested ) hath violently sought to exclude vs from our natiue Dominions . But the tyme will come when a seuere and strict accompt of these exorbitant and foule actions will be exacted of him , by the King of Kings , and Iudge of Iudges .